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Welcome,

An In-Depth Look at the Sound Design Choices and Technical Solutions in Hitman: Absolution

Speaker(s):

Mikkel Christiansen, Frans Galschiot Quaade

Company Name(s):

IO Interactive, IO Interactive

Track / Format:

Audio

Overview:

How do you create the optimal workflow for a sound designer during pre-production, production, and the final polish period? That question was tried and answered while building Glacier 2, the new proprietary engine behind Hitman: Absolution. The aim was to stand out as a breathtaking cinematic experience, heavily driven by the refined interaction between a visual feast and state-of-the-art adaptive sound design. This session will showcase the road from rough ideas to a fully working audio engine and interface, as well as the overall approach to the aesthetics, sound design, and implementation in Hitman: Absolution. The main focus will be on the unique collaboration between gameplay events and the sound system, which allowed us to create high-level gameplay, along with relevant and dynamic sound design. We will take you on a guided tour of the making of Glacier 2 from a sound perspective, showing the creative thoughts and discussions that led to the final result: an audio tool that empowers the sound designer and greatly reduces the need for custom code.